The Breeders’ Futurity (G1) and Champagne Stakes (G1) have
attracted some top-class runners who will use the races as preps to the Breeders’
Cup Juvenile (G1) on November 2 under the Twin Spires. The Breeders’
Futurity takes place on Keeneland’s
opening Saturday while the Champagne is run at Belmont
Park about 15 minutes later.

With an eye to both the Juvenile and Derby, our Panel
of Experts are ready with their picks in the contests.

JAMES SCULLY

Breeders’ Futurity

Dream
Maker (#5) should receive the right set-up for a winning rally. One of
the most impressive maiden scorers during the Churchill Downs spring meet, the
Tapit colt missed a planned start early in the Saratoga meet
and never appeared comfortable when returning from a three-month freshening in
the September 3 Hopeful (G1), breaking slowly on a speed-favoring track as the
top-three finishers essentially held their spot throughout. Look for a
much-improved showing with Julien Leparoux.

Champagne

Aurelius
Maximus (#9) wasn’t going to catch a buzzsaw wire-to-wire winner in his
debut after breaking slowly but the Pioneerof the Nile colt graduated in style second-time
out at Belmont Park, striding away to a 7 3/4-length decision while netting
commendable BRIS Speed (92) and Late Pace (96) numbers. The Champagne is
stocked with early speed and I love the outside draw with Joel Rosario.
Aurelius Maximus should receive a perfect stalking trip and can rally past his
rivals in the stretch.

KELLIE REILLY

Breeders' Futurity

As much as I love Standard Deviation (#14) as a
long-term classic prospect, it's a lot to ask him to overcome post 14 in
his second career start, and stakes and two-turn debut. I'll root for
him but feel obliged to offer a less adventurous selection to win –
the Mark Casse-trained Dream Maker (#5)
at 5-1 on the morning line. The Tapit blueblood looked every inch a
two-turn horse in his last-to-first debut victory going 5 1/2 furlongs
at Churchill. He has to improve from his fifth in the Hopeful
(G1) at Saratoga last out, but I suspect he may have needed that one to
bring him on. With plenty of speed on tap, Dream Maker should get the right
set-up.

Champagne

Aurelius Maximus (#9)
is a tantalizing play at 6-1 on the morning line as the "other"
Chad Brown. His classic pedigree and big maiden win at this
track and trip (admittedly in the slop) lead me to believe he's one of two
serious Kentucky Derby prospects in here, along with
Godolphin's Endorsed (#1). This might be a case of picking the
long-term contender too soon, but if Aurelius is as good as I hope, he's worth
backing.

SCOTT SHAPIRO

Breeders’ Futurity

Dream Maker (#5) has
been wanting more ground since breaking his maiden on debut at Churchill Downs
in June for trainer Mark Casse. This son of Tapit should continue to get better
as the distances get longer.

Champagne

Endorsed (#1) was
impressive in running down well-meant Chad Brown first-time starter Ahead of
Plan at Saratoga on August 18. The son of Medaglia d’Oro should have no problem
as he stretches out to a mile on Saturday.

JOHN MUCCIOLO

Breeders’ Futurity

Dream Maker (#5)
was a sharp debut winner at Churchill when going last-to-first, before
finishing with some interest when fifth in the Hopeful Stakes (G1). The Mark
Casse trainee was out of sorts early on in the Hopeful and should surely move
forward from the experience in his two-turn debut. The Tapit colt is bred to
run long and signaled his readiness for this event with a half-mile bullet in
:47 at Keeneland a week ago, the best of 113 works on the day. Regular pilot
Julien Leparoux will ride the gray.

Champagne

Endorsed (#1)
proved capable of passing runners with a game debut win at Saratoga over the
highly regarded Ahead of Plan. The Kiaran McLaughlin pupil earned a strong 95
BRIS Speed number, with a 99 Late Pace figure in that tally, and has a pedigree
that screams distance. The Medaglia d’Oro colt has worked four times since,
with two of those coming at Belmont. The Godolphin homebred should receive a
healthy pace to rally into late under Joe Bravo.

ADAM SPRADLING

Breeders’ Futurity

The question; is Mind Control (#13) really the best in the
field? I think he will be if the pace doesn’t heat up, but I believe there is
enough speed for the pace to matter. Just like in the Iroquois Stakes (G3), also
a Kentucky Derby prep, I like Tobacco Road (#8) as a top class contender and he will surely be game in the
stretch. Tobacco Road’s stalking running style should provide an opening to hit
the wire first with tiring foes in the stretch, and for a better price than
what we will get with Mind Control.

Champagne

Pedigree? Check. By Pioneerof the Nile and out of La Reina,
who is by A.P. Indy. Connections? Check. Trained by Chad Brown, owned by Stonestreet
Stables and ridden here by Joel Rosario. Distance? Check. Won last out at a
mile by 7 3/4 lengths. Experience? Check. Hit the board in both lifetime
starts. With a strong speed performance first time out by Trophy Chaser (#2),
the second performance was much slower, but the same final speed in start two
as Aurelius Maximus’ effort. With not many horses having experience stretching
out to the one mile of this race, I think experience will matter. If Aurelius Maximus (#9) can match Trophy
Chaser during the trip, then the speed at distance may shine bright.